Closure



s m K R E P R. F.

CLOSURE 1 Filed April 25, 1955 INVENTOR.

flayaffi e ATTORNEY.

. Patented Dec. 22,-

.PATENr oF ic-s I cmsuns Floyd 8.. Perkins, Chicago, Ill.- Anniicauon ap uzs, 3935, Serial No. 18.190

, comma This invention relatesto, a dispensingclosure of flexible construction for small containers. g

The invention has forits objects the provision 'of the following:

A new and improved flexible closure for small containers;

An unique self shutting closure; 7

A new type of closure for dispensing small quantities or material; a

An improved cap for dispensing selected quantities of material; and I A self-sealing closure for preventing moisture from reaching the contents ofa container.

These objects, and other objects which l5 hereinafter appear, are obtained by the novel arrangement, combination and construction of the elements comprising the invention herein-- after described and claimed. ,One embodiment of a closure disclosing the invention is illustrated in the accompanying single sheet of drawing, hereby made a part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a'closure ema container;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross section of the closure shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of amodified form of closure.- v

Like reference numbers are used to indicate similar parts in the drawing and in the follow ing description.

Heretofore, salt cellars, pepper shakers and the like have had as closures perforated plates. Salt would pour through the perforations so long as it was reasonably dry, but the closure did not seal out moisture. The quantity of salt or the like could not. be gauged. N

In the case of the pepper or spices, the always be avoided, a separate and usually ineffectual cover was applied.

In paste dispensers, paste has been expressed directly from a tube, the quantity expressed 'being largely a matter'of guess work.

Liquid has been dispensed through shaker or sprinkler tops. liquid sometimes has spurted out in large globules and again could 0 hardly be freed from the container through the sprinkler top. Whenthe. former incident occurred, the quantity of material. released was generally excessive and when the latter. oc-

curred, the user most frequently continued his eflorts to shake out material until there wasv a bodying the invention in place upon the neck of open apertures permitted rapid drying out or. oxidation of the condiment. Where this was to plied directly tov tooth brushes, and the like,

such sprinkler tops have been wholly inade-. quatebecause there was no means to measure the quantities of liquidto' be dispensed thereby l0 7 or to accurately direct the discharge thereof. This invention does away with such difllculties and others. The invention consists essentially in a specially designed cap having an end through which there is a self-closing and norl6 mally closed slit, which is opened by pressure at thesides of the end of the cap. Back ofthe slot there is a chamber which may be connected with a container by a neck.. The neck maybe omitted for certain products. A container I0 is shown in- Figures 1 and 2. Such container is designed to hold a quantity of material which may consist of powder, granules, a liquid, or' the like: A paste holding container is not shown but the application of the present invention 25 thereto is clear. The container l0 has a neck I i which is constructed to receive a closure member. The neck ll may be circumierentially headed to more firmly hold the closure member in place thereon.-

A closure I! of rubber or of some similar material is fitted above neck II. The closure l2 has-a skirt' it which is shaped to fit about and remain upon the neck ll of the container.

The skirt l3 tapers into a neck ll. The neck i4 is constricted, resulting in a passage I! there- A through of relatively small diameter and somewhat tubular in character.

The 'neck' l4 terminates in a head l6 which has a shape similar to the shape of a bird's head, 40 and which is obliquely disposed to the axis of neckf ll. Head [6 has a cavity II which communicates with the passageway I! of the neck I. The. head ii which governs the size of cavity I1 is of a selected size to determine the maximum 5 plane is an ellip e with the long dimension from u I ment, either with the material of the nose of the long dimension, from top to bottom.

The skirt [3 is relatively thin and sols the neck Such slit extends into cavity I! in the head git The slit may be cut with .a sharp instrustretched which gives a narrower opening or a wider opening.

with the head not under tension which provides The resiliency of the material of the closure or cap 12 keeps the slit normally closed. By pressing .on the narrow sides 2| and 22 of the nose l8, the slit 2!) may be opened slightly or wide1y as desired. When pressure is released from sides 2! and 22, the material assumes itsnormal position and the slit is constricted or closed.

The closure is placed on a container l that holdsmaterial to be dispensed. When the ma terial in the container I0 is powdered or granulated or liquid, the container "ID with the closure i2 thereon may be inverted. Such inversion causes material to flow into and fill the cavity. II of the head i6.

The sides 2 l and 22 of the nose l8 are then pressed to spread the slit 20. The-material in the cavity ll of the head 16 will flow out. If it is desired to limit the amount of material dispensed to that contained in the cavity of the head, thus measuring the materialfthe neck It is pressed between the thumb and fingers con i currently with the pressing of the head I6. This pressure closes the passageway l5, before or at the same time that the nose i8 ispressedto open the slit' 20. Under such conditions, the

vis effectively measured. When the measuring veiifect is not desired, the passageway IS in the neck ll may be allowed to remain open even to the extent that the material in the container -may pass unobstructedly into the head It and out through the slit 20, if such a result is desired. When the closure i2 is used on a container of paste, or of material of pasty and coherent nonflowing consistency, thecontainer may comprise acollapsible metal tube of any well known type, or a container equivalent thereto. The paste is pressed from the container into the head I 6. When the cavity I! in the head I6 is filled, this will be noted by resistance to further deformation of the collapsible tube. By pressure of the thumb and fingers, the passageway l in the neck I4 is closed or the back of head l6 sealed off, the slit is opened, and the head I6 is compressed, all substantially at the same moment or in the order named. Such amount of paste as is desired is-then dispensed from the container. As soon as pressure is released from the several parts mentioned, the slit 2!! closes and the remaining material is sealed in the head It for future dispensings. The head i6 is practically tight when the slit 20 is closed preventing leakage of the paste.

side to side and the short dimension, which is about one-third On emptying the head l6 ofpaste, more paste is expressed from the container into the head l6.

Asecondform of closure embodying the invention is disclosed in the device illustrated in Figure '3. The reference characters used in Figure 3 designate the parts that correspond with those used in Figures 1 and 2 adding the letter' a".

The closure In illustrated 'in Figure 3 includes a skirt I31: and a head Ilia, but omits any neck, the head Ilia resting directly upon the skirt I311. The construction and operation of the vdevice shown in Figure 3 is otherwise identical with the construction and operation of the first described device.

In either form of the invention there are but few variables to adapt the closure to anymaterial or container therefor. The first variable is the size of the skirt. Thissize is determined by the neck of thencontainer on which it is to be used. The second variable isthe size of head It, This is important only when accurate measured discharges are desired. Y

The thickness of nose It is a third variable determined by the material to' be dispensed." The by the physical character of the material to be dispensed therethrough.

In any structure, ,a leak proof always closed (except when in use) closure is. provided, thus preserving the contents again t waste and chemical and physical change so frequently resultant upon exposure to the v What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent'of the United States is:

l. A dispensing clo e of elastic material comprising a skirt to fit about the neckv of a container, and a compressible head integral with the skirt and terminating in a nose, the nose having a slit therein, and the head being at an oblique angle to said skirt.

2. A dispensing closure of elastic material comprising a skirt to be fitted about the neck of a the skirt and at an oblique angle to said skirt and having a thick nose, the nose having a slit therein and being fiat at the end thereof.

3-. A dispensing closure comprising a skirt, a head on the skirt and at an angle thereto, and a nosecn said head and comprising material substantially four times as thick as the material of said head, the nose having a fiat end having a slit thereacross. v

4. A dispensing closure of rubber comprising an attaching skirt, a compressible head. integral with the skirt at an oblique angle to the axis of a container on which used and having a nose of thick material, the nose being fiat at the end thereof and having a-slit across such fiat end to provide a self closing aperture openable by pressure at the sides of said nose. 7

5. A dispensing closure of elastic material for a container comprising a skirt for telescoping over. such container, a tubular neck on said skirt and having a passageway therethrough, ahollow head on said neck at an oblique-angle to said neck and communicating with said container through said neck, anda nose upon said head and having an end the material of which is several times the thickness of the material of said head,

. container, and a compressible head integral withv gral with said skirt, and an elongated head on and integral with said neck at an oblique angle to said neck, the end of the head having a slit therethrough andsaid head being hollow and communicating with said container throughsaid 5 neck. 1

"FLOYD R. PERKINS. 

